14 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Coast Weekend’s local
restaurant review
Need a new burger joint? Try Ruby’s
Review and photos by
MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA
MOUTH@COASTWEEKEND.COM
It’s raining burgers. As the
Mouth I eat so many. It’s ridicu-
lous. Ten-year-old me wouldn’t be
able to fathom that this is a job.
But on the North Coast, burger
and microbrew joints are as prolific
as puffins. I suppose it’s because
such restaurants offer familiar,
filling fare that’s tourist-friendly —
you know, when they’ve already
had fish and chips or clam chowder
for lunch.
As things stood, I didn’t think
there was room for any more burg-
ers — at least, anything less than a
creative evolution.
And yet.
Ruby’s Roadside Grill opened
in early September. Months of
construction tore a long-shuttered
gas station on the south end of
Seaside down to the studs. The
retrofit that emerged is sleek and
handsome. Ruby’s is full of au
currant touches — reclaimed
wood, a vintage-style sign with
exposed lightbulbs and windowed
bay doors. In the summer when
they pull the doors up and let the
fresh air in, Ruby’s ought to be
downright placid. The restaurant’s
east face opens upon expansive
views: a grassy field, pond and
rolling hills. Picnic tables provide
seating inside and out. There’s also
a massive, gas-fueled fire pit. Near
the size of a VW bus, it radiates
more than enough heat to make
offseason outdoor dining reason-
able. Design-wise, Ruby’s feels
like something you might find in
Portland or, rather, Seattle, where
the owners live.
The staff are friendly locals.
They take orders at the counter.
There are eight different burgers,
all which come a la carte. Fries
and other sides are sold separately,
and I like that — I toss too many
unwanted fries on the compost.
There are a few other entrées like
hot dogs and barbecue shrimp
tacos, but Ruby’s focus is clear:
burgers uber alles. The firmly
medium-sized, 6-ounce patties
are cooked to order. All I ate were
ordered medium rare and most
came that way — a little pink in
the center. Only once did I get
one that was full-on medium. All
were well seasoned. The patties are
hand-formed, and the beef is above
average, though not quite enough
to make you gasp in wonder.
Rather than hip, the accou-
trements are more tried and true.
Instead of kimchi,
truffle oil and pork
belly, you’ll find
bacon, avocado
and garlic aioli.
Nowhere is Ruby’s
trying to flip the
burger on its head.
Narrowly focused,
the restaurant is
shooting simply for
solid execution and
mostly hits the nail
on the head.
Of the burgers I
tried, the Seasider
($9.95) was my favorite, with its
tightly coiled, bacon wrapped Wal-
la Walla onion and a vinegar-for-
ward, almost mustard-y, barbecue
sauce that prized a serrated edge
well before sweetness.
The Cabo ($8.50), with a thick
blanket of melted jack cheese,
pickled onions and avocado —
along with lettuce and tomato —
was a slightly blingy but mostly
standard burger — a worthwhile
standard, mind you.
The Hombre ($9.50), with
a smooth layer of refried beans
spread beneath the patty, was
topped with hefty dollops of pico
de gallo, sour cream, a dab of
enchilada sauce and crunchy Frito
chips, was a gentle merge into the
left lane. The cook suggested I add
cheese and lettuce and he was right
to do so; so right the menu should
be amended — the added freshness
and gooey cheese is a no-brainer.
“It’s like a taco salad burger,” he
Above: The Seasider burger fea-
tures a bacon-wrapped Walla Walla
onion and a vinegar-forward, al-
most mustard-y barbecue sauce.
Left:The Hombre Burger features re-
fried beans, a beef patty, pico de gallo,
sour cream, a dab of enchilada sauce
and crunchy Frito chips. The Mouth
liked the addition of lettuce and cheese.
said. Indeed.
The Hombre is not Ruby’s
version of a chili burger. The
actual Chili Cheese burger ($8.50)
is served open face. The patty
and buns are covered in a beefy,
tomato, black-and-kidney bean
chili, shredded cheese and onions.
For $1 more than the standard
burger, it’s a whole meal by itself
— no sides needed. To be sure:
Ruby’s regular burgers mostly
suffice by themselves for lunch,
but they could be a little lonesome
at dinner.
The House Fries ($2.65
regular, $3.95 large) are better
than average. Not too machined,
they’re nicely crisp and still soft
inside. Adding mozzarella is not
just advised — I command you to
do it! For a mere 30 cents more,
the whole pile melts together
gloriously. But there’s no more
filling bargain than the smashed
potato — which is not mashed
potatoes. They’re red potatoes that
are baked then dunked in the deep
fryer, mushed open and dusted
with parmesan. The skin is crisp
and the center whole. It’s about as
much food as you’ll get anywhere
for $1.50, though if you’re not able
to moisten them with hot sauce (or,
god forbid, ketchup) springing for
the gravy is probably worth the
extra dollar.
As well as Flash Fried Brussel
Sprouts ($5.95), Ruby’s offers a
trio of salads — a Caesar, Shrimp
Louie and the Asian ($7.95), which
I tried. With a sesame oil-forward,
ginger-tinged dressing, crunchy
wontons, carrots, cabbage and
sunflower seeds, it was about what
you’d expect and want out of a
nouveau fast-food salad: a lot of
dressing pumping flavor above raw
healthiness. But make no mistake:
It’s wholly responsible.
As one of my visits came in
the midst of the World Series and
RUBY’S ROADSIDE
GRILL
Rating:
2323 S. Roosevelt Drive
U.S. Highway 101, Seaside
PHONE: 503-739-7333
HOURS: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday to Thursday; 7 a.m. to
9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
PRICE: $ – Burgers, served a
la carte, range from $7.50 to
$9.95.
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN
OPTIONS: Veggie patty and
salads.
SERVICE: Jovial, accommo-
dating counter service.
DRINKS: Beer, wine, coffee,
soda.
KEY TO STAR RATING SYSTEM
Poor
Below average
Good
Excellent
Best in region
the Cubs were playing, I couldn’t
resist Ruby’s Chicago Dog ($6.95).
More than the burger, the Kosher,
all-beef dog, with its charred skin,
smacked of a backyard barbecue.
(Ruby’s grill sports open flames.)
The quarter-pound dog was reason-
ably sized and dressed but lacked
a certain punch. It was firmly
mediocre, not more than the sum
of its parts. I would’ve preferred
another burger.
Which, indeed, Ruby’s does
well. Maybe not singularly well
— the restaurant doesn’t compete
with slightly more expensive,
bistro-style burgers found here and
there. The easiest upgrade Ruby’s
could make would be improving
the squishy, grocery store-esque
buns. But the whole package —
the easy ambiance, convenience
and the mostly reasonable price
— makes Ruby’s a surprisingly
welcome addition to a very crowd-
ed market.